Machine for forming building-blocks from plastic material.



PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

H. J. BUCHANAN. MACHINE FOR FORMING BUILDING BLOCKS PROM PLASTIC MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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WU; Muse o G ttoznuts PATENTEIJ FEB. 21, 1905.

H. J. BUCHANAN. MACHINE FOR FORMING BUILDING BLOCKS FROM PLASTIC MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SHOGLMIOL i I 3% 9 A No. 783,016. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

' H. J. BUCHANAN. MACHINE FOR FORMING BUILDING BLOCKS FROM PLASTIC MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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- H. J. BUCHANAN. MACHINE FOR FORMING BUILDING BLOCKS PROM PLASTIC MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

wihwosca UNITED STATES Patented February 21, 1905 PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM J. BUCHANAN, OF AUBURN, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR FORMING BUILDING-BLOCKS FROM PLASTIC MATERIAL.

. SPECIFICATION forming part or Letters Patent No. 783,016, dated February 21, 1905.

Application filed January 16, 1904. Serial No. 189,350.

"'0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM J. BUCHANAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Auburn, inthe county of Dekalb and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Forming Building-Blocks from Plastic Material; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines for forming building-blocks from plastic material, as cement or the like; and it consists of certain novel features of combination. and construction of parts, the preferred form whereof will be hereinafter clearly set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

The prime object of my invention, among others, is to provide a machine of the character specified which will have the capacity to meet all possible requirements made upon it for producing a building-block of any desired shape or size which the manufacturer may desire in order to meet all of the exigencies of the operation of building, as in producing corner-blocks having an extension disposed at the desired angle as will fit said block for use upon the right-angled corner of a building or upon the octagonal corner, or, in fact, any degree of alinement which a bend or turn in the Wall may render necessary and desirable.

A further object of my invention is to produce an angle or corner block provided upon both its inner and outer faces With the finish of a natural cut rock showing tool-marks there on, &c.

Another object is to provide great adjustability for all of the various parts of my machine, which will make it possible to produce building-blocks of varying size and shape, as hereinbefore stated, but will make it possible to readily control the operation of the machine.

A further object is to simplify the construction of the machine whereby it may be manufactured at a minimum cost and yet will be found to possess the greatest possible capacity for manufacturing building-blocks of all possible shapes and sizes, any desired size being readily produced by a simple change in the adjustment of the molding parts and controlling mechanism.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application, and in Which- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my machine complete ready for use, a portion of the left-hand end being cut away for lack of room to illustrate the same. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the extreme outer end of the angle extension of the molding-box, showing means of adjusting the end gate relative to the side wall. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 2 on line 5 5. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the manner of connecting the bed-plate of the angular extension of the moldbox to the end of the main bed-plate and also showing in perspective the adjustable core for the extension. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of the sidewalls of my molding-box adapted for forming a cornerblock with a rockface upon its inner and outer faces. Fig. 8 shows my improved core. Fig. 9 shows a cover adapted to completely inclosc the core illustrated in Fig. 8, and thus make it substantially a solid core. Fig. 10 shows in perspective another form of core adapted to receive in one of the slots provided therein a division-plate of proper length to fit across the mold-box, and thus comgletely sever into two or more portions, according to the number of divisional plates, the block being formed. Figs. 11 and 12 show, respectively, a sectional and perspective View of the rackbar and its guides.

For convenience of reference the various details of my invention and cooperating accessories numerals will be employed, the same numeral applying to a corresponding part throughout the several views.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 designates the base-section of the framework of my machine, said base-section being preferably connected together, and thereby reinforced, by a longitudinally-disposed rod or bracing-bar 2.

The base proper is preferably securely in a locked position.

integrally formed with the standards 3, which extend upward a proper distance and are integrally formed with or otherwise connected to the horizontal sections 4, said parts constituting the framework of my machine. Suitable cross-bars 5 may also be formed integral with the standards 3 or otherwise connected thereto, whereby proper strength and rigidity will be imparted to the framework. Upon the framework thus or otherwise constructed I secure the main bed-plate 6, which is providedat proper intervals near its median line with a plurality of suitable openings 7, as shown in Fig. 3. T he bed-plate 6 is designed to form the bottom of the main mold-box, and it therefore becomes necessary to provide suitable side walls 8 and end sections 9, said side walls being preferably hinged to the bedplate in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 by providing the ear-sections 10, extending downward from the lower side of the bedplate and pivotally connecting thereto the lower ends of the depending brackets 11, attached to the side walls, the object being to so form said hinges that the side walls will be moved bodily away from the molded block without permitting any part thereof to come in contact with the block which at this time of being released is in a more or less soft and fragile condition. It will be understood, therefore, that any preferred means for connecting the side walls in their operative positionsas, for instance, the form of hinges above illustrated, or, in fact, any preferred way of disposing the side walls in place is comprehended by me in this application, and I do not wish to be limited to any special form of connecting said parts together. The end sections, it will be understood, may also be provided with a suitable bracket 12, similar to the bracket 11 and connected with an ear-(not shown) carried by a contiguous part of the bed-plate 6, suitable latches 13 and 14 being also provided to hold the side and end walls The openings 7 in the main bed-plate are designed to permit the free upward movement therethrough of the cores 15, said cores being of any preferred size and number and of any desired configuration or shape, and each core is connected to and carried by the movable bed 16, which is connected at each end to and sup- I ported by the depending rack-bars 17, said rack-bars being preferably provided with a T-like extension 18, adapted to fit between the guides 19, thereby disposing the rear edge of the rack-bars directly in engagement with the antifriction-rollers 20, whereby said rackbars and the load placed thereon may be readil y elevated and lowered in any preferred way, as by the segmental toothed controller or mutilated gear 21, there being one of said controllers for each of said rack-bars, and each controller is rigidly secured to the controlling-shaft 22, and in order to place the same under perfect control of the operator 1 rigidly secure to one end of the shaft the collar 23, having the integral lever extension 24 and the detent-controlling or auxiliary lever 25 pivotally connected to the said lever in the usual manner, whereby the detent 26 may be lifted out of or disposed in engagement with the stationary rack 27, and thereby lock the shaft 22 in any desired position which will hold the rack-bars 17 elevated or lowered to the proper point.

Obviously most of the building-blocks required are substantially rectangular in form; but it often becomes desirable to provide building-blocks which will enable the builder to form any preferred corner or angle in the wall, sometimes a right-angled extension and at other times an obtuse or acute angle, as will bereadily understood. In order, therefore, to fashion and produce an extension upon the end of the main or body portion of the building-block, I will call particular attention to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein it will be observed that the end wall 9 is removed and the auxiliary side sections 28 and 29 are added, said parts being pivotally connected in any preferred way to the ends of the side walls 8, as by means of the connecting-rods 30, fitting into suitable apertures provided in the properly-shaped meeting ends of said side walls.

It is obvious that any preferred means for pivotally uniting the main and auxiliary side walls 8, 28, and 29, respectively, is comprehended by me, and I do not wish to be limited to the exact showing presented.

By reference to Fig. 5 it will be observed that I have formed in the end of the auxiliary bed-plate 16 a transverse groove 32,which can very readily be produced in the casting process, said groove being designed to fit around or compensate for the position of that part of the framework indicated by the numeral 33. 1 also round off the end of the auxiliary plate 16, as indicated by the numeral 34, the thickness of said rounded terminal being reduced, preferably, one-half to enable it to fit directly upon the rounded terminal 35 of the adjustable extension 36, said rounded terminal 34 fitting snugly in the seat formed by reducing the thickness of the angular extension 36, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, thereby disposing the upper surfaces of the auxiliary bed-plate 16 and the adjustable extension 36 flush with each other. A suitable aperture 37 is provided in each of the rounded terminals 34 and 35, whereby they will register with each other to receive a connecting rivet or set-screw 38, said setscrew being adapted to be locked in position by the thumb-nut 39, as will be clearly apparent by reference to Fig. 5.

in Fig. 6 1 have illustrated how each of the cores may, if desired, be rendered adjustable whether said cores are carried by the auxiliary bed-plate 16 or the adjustable extension thereof 36. The core, which in Fig. 6 is designated by the numeral 40 and, is substantially the same in character as illustrated by the numeral 15 in Fig. l, is provided upon its under side with a centrally-disposed threaded stud 41 and with a similar stud 42 near its outer end, the said studs being designed to [it into the slot 43 and also in the intersecting curved slots 44 and 45, the object of said intersecting slots being to enable a quick and easy adjustment of the core relative to the interior of the molding-box. By this arrangement it is obviousthat the core may be readily adjusted either longitudinally or laterally as may be desired to meet the requirements for disposing the opening in the block at the proper point.

It will be understood that suitable locking or thumb nuts 46 may be employed to cooperate with the threaded studs 41 and 42,

whereby the core may be secured in an adjusted position. It will be further understood that an adjustable extension 47 shall be provided and pivotally connected to the end of the main bed-plate 6, which I prefer to do substantially in the same manner as I have pivotally connected the core-carrying members 16 and 36, the same set'screw 38 passing through the registering apertures formed in the overlappingreduced and rounded ends of the main sections 6 and 47, such registering apertures being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and 1 therefore deem it unnecessary to describe in more extended detail the manner of uniting said parts, it being obvious that the outer free end of both the members 36 and 47 may be readily and simultaneously moved around to the desired point, whereby saidextensions 36 and 47 will be disposed in a proper line of inclination relative to the median line of the main mold-box. To compensate for the relative change in position of the side Walls 28 and 29, the end wall 48 is pivotally connected to the end of the wall 28, whereby it will swing freely outward, while the edge of said end wall may be provided with the locking-studs 49, designed to take through any one of the apertures 50, formed in acontiguous part of the end of the side wall 29, suitable locking-nuts making it possible to reliably hold the end wall in its operative position and at the same time sustain the said walls in place. Since the core 40 possesses a capacity for adjustment relative to the adjustable extension 36, it is obvious that the position of the core may be accurately disposed in the central portion of the angular extension of the mold-box.

I wish now to call particular attention to the construction of my mold-box illustrated in Fig. 7. This mold-box is designed to form right-angled corner-blocks, so that eithervor both of the exposed faces may be finished to imitate dressed stone or so that they will have what is commonly termed rock faces. It is now common to provide a corner-block so that its outer side will be rock-faced; but it is new to provide means for fashioning such a block so that either or both faces will be so finished. For instance, in giving a cornerblock what is termed a pitched-face dressing the central portion of the face is extended outward beyond the edge line of the block, and it would be impossible to remove such a block from a molding-box as now constructed, and I have therefore provided a molding-box of special form or construction, as set forth in Fig. 7, wherein it will be observed that the outer side walls 51 and 52 and the end walls 53 are constructed and connected together substantially in theusual manner, whereby they may be let down or removed from the molded block without disturbing the surface thereof while still in an unformed or fragile condition. If, however, the inner angle of the corner-block is to be provided with a rock face having a more or less bulging central portion, then it will be necessary to provide the corner-piece as indicated by the numeral 54, the lower end of said corner-piece being hinged to the bed-plate in such a manner as to permit it to be drawn away from the angle of the block just formed within the box without contacting or injuring the same. Cooperating with the corner-piece 54 are the members 55 and 56, the meeting edges of said parts with the corner-block being indicated by the numeral 57. The auxiliary walls 55 and 56 are also preferably hinged to the bed-plate or pivotally connected thereto in any preferred way, so that when the corner-piece is first moved outward and downward the said members 55 and 56 may also be moved outward away from the block and disposed upon the corner-piece, leaving the newly-formed block untouched by a movement of said parts. In order that the walls 55 and 56 and the cornersection 54 may be securely locked in an upright or operative position, I provide the locking-bail or angular latch 58, pivotally connected, as by the staple 59, to one of the members 55 or 56, while the free end of the latch is dropped into engagement with the keeper 60, carried by the other member, a suitable locking-screw 61 being provided to cooperate with the keeper to hold the latch in a locked position. If desired, a handle 62 for more conveniently controlling the latch 58 may be provided.

By means of the construction illustrated in Fig. 7 it is obvious that the inner faces of the walls 51, 52, 55, and 56 may be hollowed out or properly shaped, whereby a true imitation of rock-face will be imparted to the block formed in said walls, and I therefore deem it unnecessary to dwell further upon this part of the case, inasmuch asany desired pattern of stone-dressing may be employed.

In Fig. 9 l have illustrated a form of cap 63 which is cup-like in appearance and is designed to fit bodily over that form of core illustrated in Figs. 8 and 10. The cores illustrated in Figs. 8 and 10 are designed for forming building-blocks of various shapes and sizes when the cover 63 is removed; but when said cover is placed thereon they will of course serve as though they were a solid core throughout.

In Fig. 8 a plurality of transverse recesses or openings 6%, 65, and 66 are formed, Whereby when this form of core is employed the plastic material placed in the mold-box around said core will be forced downward into the.

openings 64, 65, and 66, and the result will be that three separate openings will be formed in the building-block, the openings corresponding in shape to the end sections 67 and the transversely-disposed ribs 68.

In Fig. 10 the opening 69 is provided in the central portion of the block, the middle part of each side of the opening 69 being provided with a vertical rib-like section 7 O, and when the plastic material is entered therein it will take upon itselfa corresponding shape. When it is desired to cut the block entirely through, the division-plate 71 may be entered in one of the slits 72, the length of said plate being sufiicient to extend across the mold-box from side to side.

By means of the construction which I have hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that a building-block having any desired extension, either right-angled, obtuse, octagonal, or any intermediate angle, can be readily and accurately produced, and while I have illustrated and described the preferred details of construction which may be observed in carrying out my invention and in providing the proper form of hinging or pivotal union between the movable parts I desire to comprehend in this application all possible substitutes and equivalents that may be considered as falling within the scope of my invention.

In common with other machines of this character I employ removable pallets or plates adapted to rest upon the bed-plate proper, and their use is to enable the block formed thereon to be more safely removed while said block is still in a semiplastic or unset condition. Suitable filling or auxiliary strips are also employed in conjunction with the removable pallets for making blocks of different widths, said filling or auxiliary strips being designed to be placed alongside of the end or side walls employed to form the building-blocks. It will also be understood that suitable adjustable hinges may be employed to fasten the bedplate for securing the side plates to the same,

and thusenabling the side plates to be adjustably located in their operative positions to produce a building-block of any desired width, in which case the filling or auxiliary strips may be dispensed with. It is further obvious that suitable set-screws (not shown) may be located in the bed-plate and having their free ends to bear against the lower side of the pallet-plate, whereby said plate may be adjusted. to any desired height above the bed-plate, and consequently control the thickness of the block to be formed, thereby producing, in effect, an adjustable bottom for the mold-box.

I usually prefer to employ oval-shaped coreblocks, inasmuch as a stronger block is produced than where square corners are formed in the openings, and since the cores are made tapering or slightly small at their upper ends they may be easily drawn downward without disturbing the semiformed block. By using suitable end extensions for the molding-box and employing the sheet-iron plates in connection with the cores a window-cap of proper length may be easily produced, as Well as window-sills of the desired size.

It will be understood that my improved molding-machine may be made any desired size and of any preferred material, and believing that the construction and manner of using my invention have thus been made clearly apparent further description is deemed unnecessary.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of. the character specified, asuitable supporting-frame; a bed-plate having a central opening or openings; side and end walls removably mounted on said bedplate; vertically-movable cores and means to elevate and lower the same as desired, and an adjustable extension for said side walls adapted to form a building-block with an extension disposed at any desired angle, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein described molding-box for forming building-blocks provided with an angular extension comprising a bed-plate 6; an adjustable extension 47 pivotally connected thereto; side walls having pivotally-connected extensions 28 and 29 adapted to form side walls for the adjustable extension 47 whereby a building-block with an extension of any desired degree whose median line would intersect the median line of the main box at an obtuse angle as desired, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a building-block-forming machine, a suitable frame; a main bed-plate 6 carried by said frame; an extension adjustably secured to one end of said bed-plate; side walls having ends hinged thereto whereby continuous side walls are provided for both the bed-plate and its extension 47, and means to hold said parts in an adjusted position, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

4. The herein-described means for forming building-blocks of plastic material comprising a suitable frame; a bed-plate mounted on said frame and having an extension 47 pivotally connected thereto whereby said extension may be moved in any desired angle relative to the plane of the bed-plate and suitable side walls conforming to the disposition of said bed-plate and its extension, in combination with the plate 16 and a pivotal extension 36 therefor, said parts being designed to carry cores to cooperate with the molding-box and means to raise and lower said cores as desired substantially as specified and for the' purpose set forth.

5. In a machine for forming building-blocks from plastic material, the herein-described adjustable core member having the lugs 41 and 42, said lugs being adapted to cooperate with intersecting straight and curved slotted openings in the carrying member for said core whereby the core may be adjusted longitudinally or laterally relative to'the carrying members as set forth.

6. In a machine for forming building-blocks from plastic material, comprising a suitable frame, a molding-box therefor, an angular extension at one end thereof, means to adjust said extension to any angle, a core-carrying plate and an extension thereof, said plate extension being designed to cooperate with said angular extension, means to adjustably secure the plate extension relative to the box extension, and additional means to raise and lower said cores, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a machine for molding buildingblocks, a suitable frame, a molding-box carried by said frame and a core-carrying member adapted to cooperate with the moldingbox, cores carried by said carrying member, said carrying member havinga longitudinal slot 43 and curved slots H and 45 intersecting said longitudinal slot whereby said cores may be longitudinally and laterally adjusted relative to said core-carrying member and means to operate the core-carrying members, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HIRAM J. BUCHANAN. \Vitnesses:

WV. H. MoELRoY, ANNIE l\lYT'lON. 

